US GOVERNMENT TO PROMOTE CYBERSECURITYState to promote cybersecurity awareness: "06/06/05

State to promote cybersecurity awareness

By Wilson P. Dizard III
GCN Staff

You may think it's just another June, but in fact this month will be the State Department's Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Between June 7 and June 29, the Diplomatic Security Bureau's Computer Security Office and the Information Resources Management Bureau's Information Assurance Office will sponsor the project to improve employees' understanding of proper security procedures.

The bureaus plan to sponsor events at the department's Harry S. Truman Building, also known as Main State, each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the month to highlight security risks and practices, officials said.

Session topics will include how to fend off phishing scams and other security risks based on social engineering, a demonstration of how hackers work, explanations of how to become a certified IT professional and information on spyware, antivirus software and other tools. The sessions will feature speakers from the National Security Agency, the FBI, the Agency for International Development and leading technology companies.

A State official said the department drew funding for the cybersecurity awareness month activities from its existing computer security budget and that the activities fit well within the budget."